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Any bus from bus stop 1 in front of JR Nagano Station’s Zenkō-ji exit will get you to the temple (¥100, about 10 minutes; alight at the Daimon bus stop).

Festivals & Events

Gokaichō Matsuri Five million pilgrims come to Zenkō-ji every six years from early April to mid-May, to view a copy of Zenkō-ji’s sacred Buddha image – the only time it can be seen. The next festival is in 2015.

Enka Taikai A fireworks festival with street food on 23 November.

Sleeping

Near Zenkō-ji are several traditional and very old ryokan. The station area is mostly uninspiring business hotels; listed here are some of the better options. Perhaps the most Nagano way to stay is in a shukubō (temple lodging) at one of Zenkō-ji’s subtemples. Contact Zenkō-ji (186-026-234-3591) to book, at least one day in advance. Be sure to dial the ‘186’ to permit caller ID, without which staff might not pick up the phone. Expect to pay ¥7000 to ¥10,000 per person with two meals.

Zenkō-ji Kyōju-in Youth Hostel (232-2768; fax 232-2767; 479 Motoyoshi-chō; dm from ¥4000) This atmospheric hostel is housed in a 100-plus-year-old subtemple of Zenkō-ji, with mostly private rooms. Be sure to book ahead. No meals are served.

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ZENKō-JI LEGENDS

Few Japanese temples have the fascination of Zenkō-ji, thanks in part to the legends related to it. The following are just a few:

Ikkō-Sanzon This image, containing three statues of the Amida Buddha, was brought to Japan from Korea in the 6th century and remains the temple’s raison d’être. It’s wrapped like a mummy and kept in an ark behind the main altar, and it’s said that nobody has seen it for 1000 years. However, in 1702, to quell rumours that the ark was empty, the shōgunate ordered a priest to confirm its existence and take measurements. That priest remains the last confirmed person to have viewed it.

Following an Ox to Zenkō-ji Long ago, an impious old woman was washing her kimono when an ox appeared, caught a piece of the cloth on his horn and ran away with it. The woman was as stingy as she was impious, and she gave chase for hours. Finally, the ox led her to Zenkō-ji, and she fell asleep under its eaves. The ox came to her in a dream, revealed himself to be the image of the Amida Buddha and disappeared. The woman saw this as a miracle and became a pious believer. Today, people in Kantō say, ‘I followed an ox to Zenkō-ji’, to mean that something good happened unexpectedly.

The Doves of Sanmon Zenkō-ji’s pigeon population is renowned, making the rattan hatto-guruma (wheeled pigeon) a favourite Nagano souvenir. Locals claim the birds forecast bad weather by roosting on the Sanmon gate. Visitors claim to see five white doves in the plaque above the central portal; the five short strokes in the characters for Zenkō-ji do look remarkably dove-like. See if you can spot them too. In the upper character (, zen) they’re the two uppermost strokes; in the middle character (, kō) they’re the strokes on either side of the top; and in the ‘ji’ () it’s the short stroke on the bottom left.

Binzuru A follower of Buddha, Binzuru trained in healing. He was due to become a Bosatsu (bodhisattva, or enlightened one) and go to the land of the immortals, but the Buddha instructed him to remain on earth and continue to do good works. At most temples, images of Binzuru are outside the main hall, but at Zenkō-ji you’ll find his statue just inside, worn down where visitors have touched it to help heal ailments of the corresponding parts of their own bodies; you can see the lines where the face was once replaced.

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Shimizuya Ryokan (232-2580; fax 234-5911; 49 Daimon-chō; r per person from ¥4725) On Chūō-dōri, a few blocks south of Zenkō-ji, this friendly, family-run ryokan offers good value, with a smoky dark-wood interior, spotless tatami rooms (no private facilities), laundry machines and lots of ins, outs, ups, downs, nooks and crannies. It’s been in the family for 130 years. No meals are served.

Comfort Hotel Nagano (268-1611; fax 268-1621;